Roller platen carriage in address printing machines



F. E. CURTIS Jan. 1, 1957 l0 Sheets-Sheet l Criginal Filed Feb. 24, 1949Jan. 1, 1957 F. E. CURTIS 2,775,936

ROLLER PLATEN CARRIAGE IN ADDRESS PRINTING MACHINES Griginal Filed Feb.24, 1949 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 E/mm @W A T TOR/YE Y5 Jan. 1, 1957 F. E.CURTIS 2,775,935

ROLLER PLATEN CARRIAGE IN ADDRESS PRINTING MACHINES Original Filed Feb.24, 1949 10 Sheets-Sheet 3 Hllr Jan. 1, 1957 F. E. CURTIS ROLLER PLATENCARRIAGE IN ADDRESS PRINTING MACHINES 10 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original FiledFeb. 24, 1949 5y Z/m M @W ATTOQHEYLS F. E. CURTIS Jan. 1, 1957 ROLL ERPLATEN CARRIAGE IN ADDRESS PRINTING MACHINES 1O Sheets-Sheet 5 CriginalFiled Feb. 24, 1949 Z a 5 mi. N ans N w; W w 3 A m! 5 5 may 2 y a Jan.1, 1957 F. CURTIS 2,775,936

ROLLER PLATEN CARRIAGE IN ADDRESS PRINTING MACHINES Zriginal Filed Feb.24, 1949 l0 Shee'ts-Sheet 6 Arfoe/ws VJ F. E. CURTIS Jan. 1, 1957 ROLLERPLATEN CARRIAGE IN ADDRESS PRINTING MACHINES vriginal Filed Feb. 24,1949 10 Sheets-Sheet 7 w mm H 1 H OWN M \n M w h min. Mafia MM w 5w \N.5w Gm Gw Qvm. a. m m

5/ Z/MM @M ATTORNEYS F. E. CURTIS Jan. 1, 1957 ROLLER PLATEN CARRIAGE INADDRESS PRINTING MACHINES Original Filed Feb. 24, 1949 10 Sheets-Sheet 8.4 TTOENEYJ F. E. CURTIS Jan.

ROLLER PLATEN CARRIAGE IN ADDRESS PRINTING MACHINES 1O Sheets-Sheet 9Original Filed Feb. 24, 1949 ATTOZNEKS Jan. 1, 1957 F. E. CURTIS2,775,936

ROLLER PLATEN CARRIAGE IN ADDRESS PRINTING MACHINES Original Filed Feb.24, 1949 I 10 Sheets-Sheet 10 A 7702 NE Y United. States Patent ROLLERPLATEN CARRIAGE IN ADDRESS PRINTING MACHINES Franklin E. Curtis,deceased, lateof Willoughby, Ohio, by Edith D. Curtis, administral1'ix,Willoughby, Ohio, assignor to Addressograph-Multigraph Corporation,Wilmington, Del., a corporahionofi Delaware Original applicationFebruary 24, 1949, Serial No.;78,2.0s, ,now Patent No, 2,656,1.03,dated. October 20, 1953. Divided and this application December 23, 1952,Serial No. 327,486'

4 Claims. (Cl. 101?..269)

This invention relates to printing machines and,.particularly toprinting machines for producing printed representations fromindividualprinting devices. The present disclosure is a division of theapplication of Franklin E. Curtis, Serial No. 78,205 filed February 24,1949, now Patent. No. 2,656,103, patented October- 20, 1953.

In printing machines of the aforesaid character, it is quite common touse roller platen structures whereby a resilient platen roller is movedacross the paper so as topress the same intorprinting cooperationzwiththe printing means of the printing devices, and an important object ofthe present invention is to-improve such roller platen structures. Morespecifically, it isan object of the present invention to afford aprinting machine in which a roller platen structure attains its printingcooperation with the printing means of the printing devices simplythrough movement of the platen in a horizontal plane, and arelatedobject is to enable such a rollerplatenstructure to attainthe desiredprinting cooperation without the necessity for imparting upward orwithdrawingmovements to the platen roller at the endof its printingoperanon.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent fromthe following description and claims andare illustrated in theaccompanying drawings whieh,

by way of illustration, show a preferred embodiment. of the presentinvention and the principle thereof and what I now consider to be thebest mode in which I-have contemplated applying that principle. Otherembodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principlemay be used and structural changes may be made as desired by thoseskilledin the art withoutdeparting from the present invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a machine embodying the presentinvention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional detail view taken along the guidewaythrough which the print g and control devices are advanced throughthernachine and, looking toward the left as the machine is viewed inFig, l;

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken long the p a mecham of the lust d machine looking toward the left as the machine is viewedin F -7 Fig, 4 is a detail plan view taken, substantially on the 1ine nF s- 3;,

F .1 s a ver c l. ra ver e s tiqn l. ie k nu aati'a v on he. n 5 v on gi-s s a ecti n l ie hewi s a po ti n o th apparatus illustrated'in Fig. 5in anotherportiontheaeof and which is drawn'to a larger scale than 'Fig,5

Fig. 7' is a'longitudinal sectional View taken substan tially-on theline 7-7 on Fig. 8;

"Fig. 8*is-a fragmentary plan view taken substantially Fig.9 is afragmentary detailview taken substantially on the line9.-9 on Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary plan view of aportion of the apparatusillustrated in Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is a sectional detail. view taken substantially, on the line1111 on Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on the line12-1;2 on Fig. 8;

Figs. 13 and 14 are sectional detail views taken substantially andrespectively onthe lines 13-13 and 14 ,14 on Fig. 10;

Fig. 15 is a vertical fragmental elevational View of the drive unit forthe platen devices illustrated in Figs. 3 to 14 inclusive;

Fig. 16 is a vertical transverse sectional viewtakensubstantially on theline -16'16 on Fig. 15; and;

Fig. 17 is a transverse sectional view through the pager and proofershowing the manner in which the web to be printedis passed through theprinting station.

For purposes of disclosure, the present invention is herein illustratedas embodied in a printing-machine 2110, Fig. 1, that is described. indetail. in the above identified application of Franklin E. Curtis. Theprinting ma chine 200 is adapted to handle individual sheets in the formof card checks which are identified as S in the afore said applicationand which are stacked in a magazine CM at one side. of the machine.These card checks S arefed one-by onefrom the magazine CM along a guide:way SG-1 tov a printing station 205 whereat a platen mechanism P-lcooperates with other elements in the machine at station. 205 andelsewhere to print variable data in the form of amounts on the cards.The cardsS are also punched at. station 205 with a code in the form ofperforations.

The variable data andperforationsprinted:and punched respectively on thesheets S are each derived from a related code carried by printingdevices identified as D in the aforesaid Curtis application, there beinga sensing head SH, Fig. 2, in the machine which detects the codedinformation carried by the printing devices D and institutestransmission of the corresponding message tothe station 205. This typeof printing device also carries data in the form of embossed names andaddresses which are to be directly reproduced in the machine 200 as willbe pointed out below.

The aforesaid printing devices D are supplied to the machine from amagazine M located adjacent one. side, thereof. Following the sensingofthe printing devices D at the station SH, which occurs after they arefed from. the magazine M, the printing devices are next each ad-.vanced. along a suitable guideway to a printing station. 214 at whichprinted impressions are made directly therefrom on to a proof sheet suchas the proof sheets shown,

in Figs. 5-7 of the above identified application. The

proof sheet having been supplied with data in the form.

of names and addresses from the devices D, the sheets.

S are next supplied with this same data from the printing: devices D atanother printing station 210, Fig. 1, follow-I ing which the printingdevices D and card checks S are each fed out of themachine and intorespective supply h ppe and hep oq eet e o. a pa e and Pr e 218; Fig. 1,whege it is severed into individual lengths,

of; an endless web W at this stage of operation) by the action of aroller platen mechanism P-2 with which the.

present invention is particularly concerned. As shown in. 4 of. he ra ns e ala e m c an sm P-Z is a n ed rmq e e s t e wast ng tat n 4 r l enes f mbassed, charaater a r ed. n. e pr n ing devices D. This platemechanism is carried on a rigid printing frame 216, Fig. 3, that isarranged to extend upwardly near the rear edge of the machine and thento extend forwardly so as to be disposed over the printing stations 214and 210.

In addition to the platen mechanism P-2, and the platen mechanism P-1mentioned above in connection with station 205, the machine 200 embodiesother platen mechanism P-3, Fig. 2, and P-4 (not shown). The platen P3is of the stamper type, and is located at the station 210 forwardly ofthe station 214 in position to cooperate with other elements at station210 to imprint the embossed data carried by the printing devices D on tothe card checks S. The platen 13-4 is also generally of the stamper typeand is disposed at station 214 in position to eifect printing of amountdata on the proof sheet W, this latter data corresponding to thatprinted on the sheets S at the station 205. The platen mechanism P1, P3and P-4 constitute no part of the present invention, description of suchmechanism being made herein simply to relate the various stations in themachine to the type of printed impression and to the positions occupiedby the principal elements of the machine itself. For details in thisregard, as well as to the over-all details of the machine 200, attentionis again directed to the above identified Curtis application.

The individual proof-sheets shown in Figs. 57 of the Curtis applicationare produced in a pager and proofer unit 218, Fig. l, which is supportedon the printing frame 216 above and forwardly of the printing station210, and the paper that is supplied thereto originates from rollers R,Fig. 1, located generally rearwardly in the machine 200. The webs ofpaper to be printed at the station 214 are threaded and guided throughthe machine and are arranged as a common endless strip W so that carbonsmay be made. This common web or strip W is guided upwardly through adiablo mechanism 219 at the front of the machine and into the printingstation 214 where it is to be printed.

The web W is withdrawn from the rollers R by a pair of rollers 1309 and1310, Fig. 17, and the Web then passes over a series of rollers andfinally through a pair of guide plates 1327 and 1328 into printingposition beneath the platen P2. Following the printing operation at thestation 214-, the web is passed by another series of feed rollers intothe proofer and pager 218.

The printing station 214 whereat the platen P-2 is located is defined bythis platen and the cooperating anvil 734 above and on which theprinting devices D are located one by one during the course of operationof the machine 200. The printing devices are fed into the printingstation 214 in an advancing direction from the magazine M along theguideway that is defined by a pair of spaced apart guide tracks or railmembers 701 and 702 between which and to which the anvil 734 is secured.This advancing movement of the printing devices is carried out in a stepby step manner by the feed means described in detail in the aforesaidCurtis application, the feeding of the printing devices D, the advancingmovement of the web W, and the action of the platen P-2 being timedrelative one to another to etfect successively new impressions from theprinting devices in spaced relation one after the other on the web W.

The platen P-2 is carried on the rigid printing frame 216 ashereinbefore pointed out, and the particular way in which this platenmechanism is mounted is illustrated in Figs. 3 to 14. Thus, the printingframe 216 is afforded by a pair of rigid and generally C-shaped sideplates 825 and 826 that are mounted in position on the machine frame sothat the upper arms of the plates 825 and 826 are disposed above theguideway for the sheets S while the lower arms of these plates aredisposed beneath the table top T-1 of the machine.

In attaining this mounting arrangement of the plates 825 and 826, itshould be pointed out that the machine frame comprises a plurality ofuprights 827 extended upwardly from a lower base frame 828 ofrectangular form, this base frame in turn being supported on bottomrails 829 that are arranged to engage the floor. The uprights 827 areconnected along the rear side of the machine by a plurality ofhorizontal mounting bars 830, 831 and 832, while at the front of themachine the uprights are connected by a pair of horizontal bars 833 and834.

At the rear or closed end of the C-shaped plates 825 and 826, theseplates are arranged to be connected to the upper mounting bar 832, Whileat the forward end of the lower arm of each such C-shaped plate, aconnection is effected with a longitudinal mounting bar 835 whichextends parallel to the bar 834 and somewhat rearwardly thereof.

Between the upper arms of the plates 825 and 826, provision is made forsupporting the platen P-2. There a pair of parallel mounting rails 843and 844, Fig. 4, are extended between the upper arms of the C-shapedplates 825 and 826, and these mounting rails are secured in position toafford mounting space within which the roller platen P-2 may be mountedas hereinafter described.

The roller platen P-2 is illustrated in detail in Figs. 4 to 14,inclusive, and it will be evident in these views that the roller platenP-2 embodies a carriage C that is disposed between the rails 843 and844, and is mounted for longitudinal reciprocation along a path that istransverse with respect to the printing device guideway 701-702 which islocated so that the carriage passes over the position occupied by theanvil 734. In affording the desired support for the carriage C on therails 843 and 844, these rails have horizontally projecting tracksafforded thereon by means of plates 846, Fig. 4, that are secured to thebottoms of the rails by screws 847. The arrangement is such that theseplates extend toward each other so as to project beyond the adjacentsurfaces of the supporting rails 843 and 844, and the projecting tracksthat are thus afforded are arranged to be engaged by supporting andguiding roller means. Thus, near the center of the carriage C, front andrear rollers 848 are mounted so as to ride along the upper faces of therespective rails or tracks 846. The carriage C also has a pair of frontrollers 849 and a pair of rear rollers 859 mounted thereon and arrangedto engage the lower faces of the respective tracks 846, and the rearrollers 850 each have a somewhat larger guide disk 850G associatedtherewith so as to extend into a downwardly facing guide groove 846Aformed longitudinally in the lower face of the rear guide rail 846.Thus, the carriage is guided along an accurately defined path over theprinting station defined by the anvil 734.

The carriage C as herein shown is arranged to afford two positions atwhich platen rollers PR may be supported, but in most of the views fromFigs. 4 to 14, only one such platen roller has been illustrated in thelefthand operating position in the machine, the other or right-handmounting position having been provided for use in connection withtwo-column listing work when this is required. Thus, the carriage has apair of downwardly projecting mounting plates 851 disposed near thefront and rear edges thereof, and these mounting plates serve to supportcertain of the elements of the mechanism. These mounting plates areformed as elements of a bottom casting 852 that is secured to the lowerface of the main carriage casting by means such as bolts 853, Fig. 7. Inaffording a mounting for a platen roller PR, adjustment in a verticaldirection is provided in order that the printing pressure may beaccurately determined, and in accomplishing this result, a pair of links854 are extended generally horizontally to the left, Fig. 6, fromaligned pivot points 855 and 856 afforded, respectively, in the lowercorners of the mounting plates 851. These links 854 are extended to.

the left and are pivotally connected at their left-hand ing supported attheir upper ends on a vertically adjustabl scrqss shaftBfiQ, ,Fig. 11.,Adjustment of the cross s aft. is atta ned by meanslincll l ap of iusingnu 6J1.. ha areoif r und .f rm d extend downwardly through the upperparts of .the, carriage C. vA retainingplate 861? engages reduced neckportions on the .nuts 861, and screws extend downwardly through theplate 861Pand into studs '8'6'1Sthat extend upwardly through thecarriage casting so that this structure;holds the nuts 86'1 infixed'longitudinal positions while .permitting rotative adjustment byengagement of the kerfed upper ends of. thenuts'861. 'The nuts 861 areinternally screw threaded,,and-engage upwardly extended threaded studsformed, on members 862, Fig.1 1, that have apinned connection with the,cross shaftf860 as shown at 860A. Thus, -by;operation. o,f theadjusting nuts 861, the cross shaft 860 maybe raised or lowered, andsince the adjusting nutsfifil are disposed-near the front and rear ends,respectively, ofthe cross shaft'860, these nuts may also be used for thepurpose-of leveling the platen structure. The -nu ts 861 are arrangedfor normal adjusting operation-'in-unisonby a knurled head-863 that ismounted for limited vertical movement in a non-rotative relation onastubshaft'863M 'fl-iat extends downwardly through the main carriage casting,Fig. 14. This is accomplished by apin and slot arrangement863Y, and aspring 863Z beneath the head 863 urges the head toward anupperrelationwith respect to the-shaft 863M. A spring plunger 86311 inthe shaft 863M, Fig. 14, acts against a stud SGSX to :urge the-shaft-863M upwardly so that a gear 864M *tixed thereon is in the planeof and meshed with a :pa'irof idler gears 8646 that are carried on thelower ends of the studs -861S. The gear 864M also engages stationary pin86,4P when :the gear is in its upper positiomthereby to :be lockedagainst rotation. These idlengears 1 -8646 mesh with :gears ..-864Hfixed on the nuts 8.61, and when the head1863 .is moved downwardly fromits normal position to the end of the lost motion afforded :by the pinand slot.8.63Y,-the .gear 1864M is disengaged from .theloeking .pin 8641.while still-remaining engaged with the idler :pinions. Whenrthis isdone, the head-1.863 :Will actuate .theanuts .861 in unison :to .causeordinary ia'diustment of the printing pressure. When a levelingoperation1isto be :performed, the shaft 863M is depressed todisengagethe gear 864M from the idlers, an the nuts 861 may hen be adjustedindependently.

'{Ehcplaten roller PR is of :the positive gear driven typeso thattheplaten roller rolls along the lines of emboss d cha cters on the:printing device ,D in timed relatienito th ,imcv mentof th pl ten carrig in such rolling action the desired cutoff action is attained byaffording a resilient platen facingu865 .as shown in Fig. 7 ofthedrawings. in accordance with the present invention, the platencarriage C is moved through a stroke in one direction to accomplish a'particularprinc ing operatiomandat the end-of-the stroke, comes to restin the position shown in Fig. *6, wherein the edges 865-1 and 865-2 areboth spaced away from the tabletop of the machine. Then after advancingmovements of the sheetstto be printed and-related elements, the nextprinting operation is-performed -by moving the carriage C intheoppos'i-te direction to e position wherein the platen roller BRoccupies the position shown 'in dotted outline in Fig...6,;inwhich-position the edges of the resilient platen facing are similarlyspaced from the paper so that the desired sheet feeding operations onthe web W may take place.

The gearing arrangement through which such positive rotative movementsmay be applied to the platen roller PR in the course of the aforesaidreciprocating movements of the carriage C are illustrated in Figs. 6 to9 and 11 and 13. Thus, the rear vertical link 857 carries a platenmounting bearing structure which includes a pinion 867, and this pinion867 is meshed with a pinion 868 that is carried by the link 854. Thepivot pin 856, Fig. 13, carries a pinion 869 that meshes with the pinionT 68,. .1id'thi$, pinup 86 me he w t api oniavo ma is mountejd on ashaft3871 that extends from front to rear thr ugh the mountingplates85.1. 'The pinion 870 'is fixed on theforwardend'of a sleeve872, and atits rear end thissleeve carries a gear,873. .The gear 873 is disposed soas '10 underlie and bemeshed with a rack 875, Fig. '9,that extendssubstantially parallel to the path of movement ofthe carriage C., Theleft hand end of the rack875gis pivoted at 876 'on a bracket 877 thatextends downwardly from the rear face :of'themounting railf844, it beingobserved that in Fig. 9-this structure is shownin a reverserelationship. The sleeve 872 has a guiding bracket i877 frotatabl yassociated therewith, and this bracket is extended upwardly "and bentaround "the upper edge of the 'rack 875 as indicated at 877G. Thus, whenthe carriage C'is moved longitudinally, the guide-877 moveswith thecarriage C and along the rack '875 :and assures that the rack 875 ismaintained in mesh relationship with respect to the gear 873. 'With thearrangement-thatis thus afforded, the free end of the rack; 875 that ismeshed-withthe-gear873 is able to followthe up and down adjustingmovements of this gear 873 when the platen pressure is being'adjustedand, hence, the pressure adjustments areattained-without changing .thecutoff relationship of the platen face 685. The mounting, adjustingand-driving arrangements just-described are in effect duplicated at theright-hand end of the carriage C to afford another platen-rollerposition.

The carriage C is actuated through the desired reciprocating stroke by apair of links 830 that are pivoted onpivots1881 *nearthe front andrearedges of the carriageC, and these lin'ks 880 are extended to theleft and are respectively pivote'dat 882 to a pair of similar arms 883that are extended in parallel relation from opposite ends of a mountingsleeve 884. The mounting sleeve 884 -is :fixed-on amounting shaft .885that is extended horizontally through the mounting rails 843 and'844,and on the projecting rearend of the shaft 885, a bevel gear ,segment886 is fixed. This bevel gear segment is meshed with a bevel gearsegment 887 that is fixed on a horizontaleshaft 888 that is supportedby. a bearing bracket889 :andiby a bearinginthe left-hand plate825. Justto tthe left of thep'late 825, an arm 890 is fixed on the shaft-888,:and *the upper end of an actuating link 595 ispivotallyvassociated-with the arm 890. Thus, when the'zlink 5 istmoved"in a downward direction the carriageiC is imoved=to the leftto .theposition shown in Fig. 5, :while movement of the link 575 in an upwarddirection :actuates the carriage C to the right and into theposition-shown in-Figs. 6 and 7.

It-wi-lliberecogniized from the above that movement of :the drive link595 actuates the platen mechanism P-2, and :this .action of the1ink595is controlled by a bell crank lever 593, -Fig. 16, which in turn isdriven by a motor375, Fig. 3. 'Thus, there is a main drive shaft 380,Fig. 23, which extends through the machine 200 generally parallel to thehorizontal mounting bars 830' 834, and this shaft iscontinuously rotatedby a belt and pulley connection.316,'37.8 running from the shaft 380 tothe motor v37S. As shown in Figs. 15 and 16, a pinion gear 5.63 .in meshwith a larger gear 564 driven by'it is carried atone end of the driveshaft 380. The gear 5.64vis loosely mounted on a'shaft 565 andconstitutes the driven element :of a one-revolution clutch 570, Fig. 16,which, when coupled as described in the said Curtis application, impartsa driving movement to the driven element of the clutch 570 in the formof a pinion gear 586. The pinion 586 is meshed with a larger gear 588which it drives on a shaft 589.

The gear 589 has a cam 590 fixed thereto so that the cam is rotated withgear 588 so long as the clutch 570 is engaged. The cam 590 is arrangedto cooperate with a pair of cam followers 591 and 592 which are carried,respectively, on either end of the bell crank 593 which is mounted forrocking movement on a shaft 594.

The lower arm 593 of the bell crank is connected to the lower end of thedrive link 595, and it will be readily seen that rotation of the cam 590in cooperation with the followers 591 and 592 is effective to rock thebell crank 593 and reciprocate the drive link 595, reciprocable movementof the latter in turn accounting for reciprocable movements of theroller platen P-2 as above described.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present inventionaffords an improved and simplified roller platen structure, and inaccordance with the present invention a roller platen structure isprovided which attains its printing cooperation with the printing meansof the printing devices simply through movement of the platen in ahorizontal plane, thereby to attain the described printing cooperationwithout the necessity for imparting upward or withdrawing movements tothe platen roller at the end of its printing operation. 1

What is claimed is:

1. In a printing machine, a platen carriage, means supporting andguiding said carriage for horizontal movement during printing strokes, aplaten roller mounted on said carriage on a rotative axis and forvertical adjustment, gearing for imparting controlled rotative movementto said platen roller during reciprocation of said carriage, andincluding an initial member in the form of a rack disposed generallyparallel to the path of movement of said carriage and pivoted on a fixedpivot at one end to enable said rack to pivot as required during saidadjustment, said platen roller having a segmental resilient surfaceterminating in spaced cut-off edges parallel to said axis and spacedsubstantially from each other, said platen roller being so related tosaid gearing that said spaced edges are faced downwardly andsubstantially in the same horizontal plane when the carriage is atopposite ends of its stroke, a rock shaft operatively connected to saidcarriage for reciprocating the same, and means for rocking said shaftoperable in successive cycles to move said carriage through printingstrokes in opposite directions.

2. In a printing machine, a platen carriage, means supporting andguiding said carriage for horizontal movement during printing strokes inopposed directions, a platen roller mounted on said carriage on arotative axis and for vertical adjustment to regulate the printingpressure, means for imparting controlled rotative movement to saidplaten roller during reciprocation of said carriage and including aninitial member in the form of a rack disposed generally parallel to thepath of movement of said carriage and pivoted on a fixed pivot to enablesaid rack to pivot as required during said vertical adjustment, saidcarriage having gearing operatively connected between said rack andplaten roller for rotating the platen roller during reciprocation ofsaid carriage, means for feeding a sheet to be printed beneath saidplaten, said platen roller having a segmental resilient surfaceterminating in spaced cutoff edges parallel to said axis and spacedsubstantially from each other, said platen roller being so related tosaid gearing that said spaced edges face downwardly and are spaced abovethe path of said sheet when the carriage is at opposite ends of itsstroke, a rock shaft operatively connected to said carriage forreciprocating the same in opposed directions, and means for rocking saidshaft operable in successive cycles to 55 move said carriage throughprinting strokes in opposite directions.

3. In a printing machine, a reciprocable platen carriage at a printingstation, means supporting and guiding said carriage for horizontalstraight forward movement at the printing station during printingstrokes, a platen roller mounted on said carriage on a rotative axis,means for adjusting vertically and levelling the axis of the platenroller, means to feed a sheet to be printed through the printing stationand along a path that extends beneath said platen roller, said platenroller having an uninterrupted segmental resilient surface terminatingin spaced apart edges that are substantially parallel to said axis, saidroller being positioned in said carriage so that said spaced edges arein substantially a horizontal plane spaced above the path of such sheetwhen the carriage is at opposite ends of its stroke thereby enablingsuch sheet to be freely fed beneath the platen roller between strokeswithout engaging the platen roller, and means for reciprocating saidcarriage to move said carriage through printing strokes in oppositedirections and causing said uninterrupted segmental portion of theplaten roller to bear on and travel across such sheet, the last-namedmeans including gearing on the carriage for rotating the platen, apivotally mounted rack for driving the gearing upon reciprocation of thecarriage and enabling adjustment of the platen roller to be easilyaccomplished, a rock shaft, and a drive arm connected to and between therock shaft and carriage.

4. In a printing machine, a platen carriage, means supporting andguiding said carriage for horizontal movement during printing strokes inopposite directions, a platen roller mounted on said carriage on arotative axis and for vertical adjustment to regulate the printingpressure, gearing mounted on said carriage for imparting controlledrotative movement to said platen roller during reciprocation of saidcarriage, drive means for the gearing including a rack disposedgenerally parallel to the path of movement of said carriage and pivotedon a fixed pivot at one end to enable said rack to pivot as requiredduring said adjustment, said platen roller having a segmental resilientsurface terminating in spaced cut-off edges parallel to said axis andspaced substantially from each other, said platen roller being sorelated to said gearing that said spaced edges are faced downwardly andsubstantially in the same plane when the carriage is at opposite ends ofits stroke, and drive means including a rock shaft under control of aone-revolution clutch operable in successive cycles of the machine tomove said carriage through printing strokes in opposite directions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,421,920 DeMinico July 4, 1922 1,627,663 Morse May 10, 1927 1,795,480Dugdale Mar. 10, 1931 1,842,086 Hartley Jan. 19, 1932 1,999,472 NixonApr. 30, 1935 2,070,549 Hueber Feb. 9, 1937 2,104,863 Hueber Jan. 11,1938 2,592,379 Barney Apr. 8, 1952 2,606,494 Vogt Aug. 12, 19522,608,155 Kohlbusch Aug. 10, 1952

